Graded Cards

[Sleeping Snorlax]

Hi everyone, as you can tell this is about graded cards. What do you think about them? Would you ever get any of your cards graded or do already have some that are? I always thought it was a cool idea to have a card that was verified to be of a certain rating, but I never thought I had the cards needed. I just looking at my cards nit picking about this and that and never got around to doing it. Though, recently I found a huge stash of pokemon card binders in an old box I had at found a couple base set Charizards and decided to send them in. Not expecting more than a 7/10, I ended up getting a 10/10 and a 9/10 (pics will be added as soon as I can take one). Needless to say I was jumping for joy.

I can see why people would say that its only worth it if you get a really high number or that some people are giving a grade to a card that they may not know anything about. But I personally like it and will be sending in more cards and maybe even purchasing some too.


So yea what do you think?

 

[donavannj]

What agency are you using? PSA? Beckett? Some other agency? The agency of choice depends on the TCG being graded, as apparently Pokemon collectors put more value in a PSA grading than a Beckett grading.

Though for most places it costs around $30 per grading, so you have to research and guess which ones you'll actually turn a profit on from having them graded.

 

[Sleeping Snorlax]

I use PSA to get my cards graded. I got my cards graded not to necessarily have them turn a profit for me but rather because I try to make sure as a collector my cards are in the best condition possible. As such the grading not only gives the card a "definitive" rating of condition but also serves as a way to protect it with the casing.

 

[donavannj]

Interesting idea. From what I've heard and read around, Beckett's gradings are a bit stricter than PSA's ratings when it comes to doling out 10s, but Beckett gradings aren't really sought after by Pokemon players and Pokemon collectors.

Either way, like I said before, they're both pretty costly for the majority of collectors. I'd only recommend getting them all graded if you have the money to spare and are certain that's what you want to spend all that money on.

 

[Sleeping Snorlax]

I've also heard that Becketts is a tougher. They also put the rating the card got in terms of corners, etc on the casing itself, which I think is a really interesting thing to do. I will agree that they are costly and quite honestly the main reason I never tried this before was because of the cost and my cards not being in the most amazing of conditions in many instances.